When did Arsenal last win the Premier League title? How the Gunners’ broken drought compares to England’s biggest clubs
Arsenal have secured their first English league title in over 20 years - but how does their championship wait compare to United, Liverpool, City, Chelsea and Spurs?
Arsenal have clinched the English title for the first time since 2004, after Manchester City’s draw with Bournemouth gave Mikel Arteta’s team an unassailable lead at the top of the Premier League table. In the wake of Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Burnley yesterday, City were held to a 1-1 stalemate today - a result that left the Gunners four points clear of their title rivals, with just one round of games to go.
Now that Arsenal have finally got over the line after more than two decades, the scenes of euphoria on the red side of North London are likely to match anywhere across Europe in the next few weeks. But how does Arsenal’s 22-year wait for the title compare to the Premier League’s other big names, all of whom have had their own spells in the doldrums in modern times?
Manchester United’s post-Ferguson wait
Manchester United are in the midst of a long, growing wait for a Premier League title. It is well-documented that the Red Devils have not won the league since Sir Alex Ferguson retired at the end of the 2012-13 season, 13 years ago.
Incidentally, Ferguson’s first title with United, clinched in 1992-93, ended a drought of 26 years, stretching back to 1967.
Liverpool’s 30-year gap
Liverpool endured a similar period without success. The dominant English club in the 1970s and 80s, the Anfield side failed to win a league title for 30 years, between 1990 and 2020. They then only had to wait five years for the next one to come along.
City and Chelsea’s modern rise
Manchester City and Chelsea are relatively recent additions to the Premier League elite, which is reflected in their long gaps without league titles before their modern-era dominance.
Prior to winning the 2011-12 title, City had gone 44 years without being crowned champions, since 1968.
Chelsea’s 2005 triumph was just their second ever and came exactly 50 years after their first in 1955. The Blues most recent victory came in 2017, nine years ago.
Tottenham’s enduring wait
Tottenham Hotspur, despite significant struggles in recent years, are also commonly included as part of the ‘big six.’ Spurs have only ever won two league titles, the second of which came 65 years ago in 1961.
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